Our Readers' Opinions
October 26, 2007

Man endowed with 3 basic freedoms

26.OCT.07

Editor: Permit me this opportunity to speak to the your readers, as we celebrate our 28th anniversary of Independence on the issue of Freedom. Freedom must never be described as a license.{{more}} It must never be described as loose, irresponsible actions within the norms of civil restraints; rather, instead of the license idea of freedom, the restraint idea is the real character of freedom because freedom only exists in the realm of responsibility which calls for a large measure of restraint and self denial. Freedom is best described as actions that regard the Rights and freedom of others.

There are three basic Freedoms with which a person is endowed:

Spiritual Freedom: Freedom we receive from God clearing our consciences from dead works or the breaking of His Law (Sin) and making us servants of Righteousness- Keeping the Law. This happens through the gospel of Christ by the gift of the Holy Spirit convicting the mind of sin and motivating obedience to Gods’ Law, which comes due to conversion.

Natural Freedom: We are born with this freedom to do certain things that no Law can forbid, such as the freedom of thought-the ability to think, the ability to believe whatever they want, whether it is truth or error, the ability to speak or to express themselves, through their words or forms of expressions, although they may be wrong and can cause trouble, and the ability to move and pursue what they want to, even though they may go places they are not supposed to.

Civil Freedom: This is guaranteed to all men under the rule of the constitution. They are as follows: Freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of speech and freedom of movement.

These freedoms being also Natural Freedoms are only guaranteed by the Constitution and not given by it.

The Freedom of movement and speech can be subject to restrictive legislation in the following context: Freedom of Speech:

• Slander of person with words,

• Using of obscene language in public

• When details concerning a trial are disclosed.

• Freedom of Movement:

• Being confined to prison for some crime

Being denied access to peoples’ private properties and certain off limits to governmental business and other institutions. This is called trespassing, when there is unwarranted entrance.

Restriction of movement by a restraining order to hinder the possible committing of crimes.

A person may have Civil Freedom and Natural Freedom to say or do certain things, but it is not allowed by God to be done under Spiritual Freedom, for every idle word a man shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment, for by the words thou shalt be justified, and be thy words thou shalt be condemned …God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Matt 12:36,37: Eccl. 12:13,14.

Karima Brereton